I Robot, Revisited

POSTED BY: Quicksand
UPDATED: Monday, August 22, 2005 05:12
VIEWED: 5159
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QUICKSAND

Saturday, August 20, 2005 8:12 AM

A few months back I posted a note stating how terrible I thought "I, Robot" was gonna be / was. Someone called me out on it, and we don't 100% sure know who it was, but the signature at the end of the note was "Alan Tudyk."

The note was reasonable, of course: Hey, don't knock it 'til you've seen it, people worked hard on that, etc. And while I have of course seen the film, and my opinion of the overall product hasn't changed, I wanted to add something out into the ether, just in the name of karma, if nothing else.

I stumbled across what is, to me, the single most exciting web page on the 'net, www.digitaldomain.com -- it's a haven for commercials and music videos produced by Anonymous Content, a production team on which David Fincher plays a prominent role. In addition to his staggeringly incredible commerical work, the sight also contains a Quicktime file on "The Making of I, Robot."

(see how I brought it back around? thanks for being patient)

I have no desire to spring for the "I Robot" DVD, so if the same footage is on there, nevermind. But in this file was the first time I saw Tudyk in the "robot suit" (for lack of a better term), and could actually appreciate his performance as an actor, not a special effect. And I was amazed.

Honestly, I should give credit to EVERY actor who appeared in that movie, except Will Smith, who played Will Smith. I thought Michelle Monaghan was great in it too, but the movie was so Will-centric that she was really overshadowed by his undeniable charisma.

Alan's a great actor, and to actually be able to SEE even that tiny scene of him, in a scene from the movie, was a revelation. He gave a FAR better performance than the CGI that replaced him; the white see-thru robot was more difficult to read; video-game faces aren't as interesting to look at as real ones. It played like a cartoon with a voice-over.

Between Dodgeball, A Knight's Tale, Firefly, and now I Robot, I really do respect what he had to do as an actor for this role, and all his roles. He's on the verge of becoming a household name, perhaps the first "Serenity" cast member to accomplish this.

Unfortunately, the script for "I Robot" is still incredibly weak, and while it does its very best with its considerably talented actors, director, and Oscar-nominated FX team... you can't build a house without a foundation. The movie is ultimately forgettable, but the truly talented people within it -- Monaghan, Tudyk, and director Alex Proyas -- will work again, and often, in even better movies.

And I can't wait to see them.

___\_o_/___
--------------- (Qs)

SERENITYPUNK

Saturday, August 20, 2005 8:24 AM

I admit I only watched i Robot cause of Alan playing Sonny, But i kind of enjoyed it, but im not someone who looks to deeply in movies unless im told to look deeply into it. I sit back and enjoy what is just pure written fiction. that way, im not usually disapointed. (mind you I fell asleep during lord of the rings so who am I to comment - yes it was actually in the cinema)

Alan is already a household name around here, but then again, that just me.

So what was I actually thinking of saying,

oh yes, nice to see you appreciate the genius that is Mr Tudyk, for he shall rise like the little blonde stunner he is. even in his green latex (shexaaay - heee)

=================================================
Carol
Pirate Steve defines the word cool.....
http://www.freewebs.com/serenityshindigs/index.htm - big damn shindigs

SIMONWHO

Saturday, August 20, 2005 11:07 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Quicksand:
A few months back I posted a note stating how terrible I thought "I, Robot" was gonna be / was. Someone called me out on it, and we don't 100% sure know who it was, but the signature at the end of the note was "Alan Tudyk."

It was him. He discussed this post at the Serenity convention about how disappointed he was that fans would assume something was "crap" sight unseen. He then disingenuously made a comment that the audience "would have decided for themselves how crap it actually was."

But some movies, you see the trailers and you just know what they're going to be like. Wild Wild West was another one. My friends and I just exchanged glances and we knew. Trailers that make a great or even a good movie look appallingly cheesy are like hen's teeth.

CHRISISALL

Saturday, August 20, 2005 9:51 PM

Well, I bought my own copy, I thought it was pretty good. The whole I think therefore I am gig.
Might have been better, but not too shabby.

Plus: Alan- Chrisisall

NIKNAK

Saturday, August 20, 2005 10:54 PM

I enjoyed it. Actually I never realised that Sonny and Wash were the same actor until I read it somewhere. Just goes to show how good Alan's voice acting is that I didn't recognize him.

TRACY

Sunday, August 21, 2005 2:21 PM

I did the subtitles in Spanish for "I Robot" - after I met Alan. I liked it then and I netflixed it recently. I loved the movie now. Will is good, Alan is superb... and the cat ain't too shabby either!

MAL: If anyone gets nosy, just, you know... shoot 'em.
ZOE: Shoot 'em?
MAL: Politely.

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Sunday, August 21, 2005 2:55 PM

I liked "I, Robot," or as Zoidberg would say, "I, Rob't."

I was completely unaware of the Tudyk contraversy, but I do agree agree with him that one should see the movie before resigning it as 'crap.' Trailers are often very poor representations of the movies with their own little agendas.

Also, this is the first time I've heard of Tudyk playing Sonny. It didn't sound like him, and last I saw he had more flesh around his neck, fewer hydraulic cylinders.

-------------
Qui desiderat pacem praeparet bellum.

GONZAI

Sunday, August 21, 2005 4:05 PM

While I bought 'I, Robot' simply to see Alan's performance, I also admire James Cromwell and Bruce Greenwood, and I had no feelings on the film one way or another prior to seeing it. Enjoyable, definitely. High art - ah, no. But certainly watchable.

Interestingly, it was 'Dodgeball' that I dismissed based on the trailers and ads. Again - enjoyable, not fine art but not a waste either. (Mostly because it never took itself seriously.) But it does make you wonder what the heck the people making the trailers are thinking...

"I'm not a control freak. I'm a control enthusiast." - Joss Whedon

The Mid-Atlantic Browncoats are hiding from the Alliance at:
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/Midatlanticbrowncoats

NEEDY

Sunday, August 21, 2005 4:28 PM

Well it seems like I'm one of the minority on the forum who thought it was great. No actually, I thought it was excellent.

I saw the trailers and admittedly thought it was going to be your average brainless action flick. I was completely surprised by it (in a good way), not only did it have an intriguing story and a superb character in Sonny, but it was genuinely funny in places and the special effects looked a hell of a lot better than I thought from the trailers.

One of the main reasons I saw this though, ignoring the fact that Alan Tudyk was in it, was Alex Proyas - who did The Crow and the excellent and vastly underrated Dark City.

In my opinion, I Robot was the best movie of 2004. I enjoyed it more than Spiderman 2 (which as a big Spidey fan is saying something) and I actually saw I Robot twice, on consecutive days

BTW - don't mean to nitpick but it's Bridget Monaghan

Needy. Male Companion a.k.a. First Boy Whore of Destiny

SERENITYPUNK

Sunday, August 21, 2005 4:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Finn mac Cumhal:
I liked "I, Robot," or as Zoidberg would say, "I, Rob't."

I was completely unaware of the Tudyk contraversy, but I do agree agree with him that one should see the movie before resigning it as 'crap.' Trailers are often very poor representations of the movies with their own little agendas.

Also, this is the first time I've heard of Tudyk playing Sonny. It didn't sound like him, and last I saw he had more flesh around his neck, fewer hydraulic cylinders.

-------------
Qui desiderat pacem praeparet bellum.

Well to all intents and purposes he did 'play' sonny, every move the robot made, Alan made, hence the shexy green lycra, and sonny was built around him including facial movements, and I have to admit he didnt sound like Alan, but then he did the voice at the serenity con and it was very much 'ahh there he is!!'

It took me days to convince my chloe that pirate steve was in fact wash...

and therein lies the reason why alan is one of my favorite actors, because he can play any part.

=================================================
Carol
Pirate Steve defines the word cool.....
http://www.freewebs.com/serenityshindigs/index.htm - big damn shindigs

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